Zhang Baifa, a native of Jinhua, Zhejiang, is in his forties, and went to the United Kingdom to study for six years after failing the imperial examination, majoring in geology, minerals and metallurgy. It is precisely because of his outstanding professional background that Wang Yi made him the general manager of Dashang Iron and Steel Company. Otherwise, he originally intended for this position, the German Schroeder Kohl, the chief engineer of the steel plant who gave him a headache.

In a large mansion in Fengtian, Yu Cheng, the younger brother of Yu En, the servant of the Shengjing Ministry of Industry, was having a quarrel with the Russian businessman Andrei.

Andrei was very dissatisfied at this time: "Mr. Yucheng, our country has always adhered to the attitude of friendly exchanges with your country, and has done its best to develop commerce and trade between the two countries, and the merchants of your country discriminate against their own businessmen, which makes us very angry and dissatisfied!" ”

Yu Cheng didn't know what was going on, so he wondered: "Mr. Andre, I don't know what happened, why are you so angry?" ”

"It's disgusting what happened!" The bearded Andrei expressed indignation. "The contract for the sale and purchase of steel bars at the Dashang Iron and Steel Plant, which you brokered and signed, was later forced to terminate due to the refusal of the senior management of Dashang to fulfill its obligations."

"How so?" This is the first time I have heard of this matter, and I can't help but wonder.

Andre looked at the Qing man in front of him, and his heart was full of contempt.

"Because their top brass is very unfriendly to us Russia! More directly, hostility! ”

For a while, Yu Cheng couldn't figure out the reason for this, but about a month ago, this Russian had met him in Yihong Courtyard through the recommendation of someone else, and had very arrogantly paid him a lot of money for prostitution for several nights in a row. Of course, Yu Cheng understands people in this regard, and the other party obviously has a request for him. Later, Andre finally made his intentions clear, and he wanted to buy the construction steel bars of Dashang Iron and Steel Company. As long as Yucheng can push the deal to a conclusion, Andre is willing to pay a benefit fee of 30,000 taels of silver.

As soon as Yu Cheng heard this, he immediately fell into his mind, and used his brother's official power and status to force Zhang Baifa, the general manager of Dashang Iron and Steel Company, to forcibly sign a transaction contract.

Zhang Baifa is a typical Qing intellectual, although he studied in Britain for several years, but he has seen more of the boundless power of Queen Victoria, and believes that the future of the Qing State is a constitutional monarchy. In essence, he is still a castrated Confucian student, who emphasizes the prince of heaven and earth, the monarch and the minister are like father and son, loyal to the monarch and patriotic, and he wants to be obedient to the people in this life. In a foreign land, he cares about the court, and he does not regret his death. Therefore, knowing that Wang Yi hated selling strategic materials such as steel bars to the Russians the most, and he himself knew Wang Yi's intention to blockade, he still followed the instructions sent by Sheng Jing and secretly allowed this transaction. Unexpectedly, he was discovered by the insurance team under Wang's hand, and as a result, he traced it all the way and finally revealed what happened.

Yu Cheng didn't think that this deal would fail at the last moment, he usually eats, drinks and has fun in Shengjing, and he doesn't know much about the outside world, except for hunting. But he knew the silver, and now Wang Yi cut off his wealth. In his thoughts, Dashang is just a merchant, Shinong Industry and Commerce, ranking last. For him, trying to kill these people is not just a matter of effort.

Andrei was still roaring at this time: "Mr. Yucheng, if you don't give us a satisfactory explanation in this matter, I will definitely report this matter to our Tsar Majesty when I return home, and when the time comes, the two countries are at war, and we will definitely get back the interests that belong to us." ”

As soon as he heard that he was going to start a war, Yu Cheng was afraid, and he didn't know anything else, the two opium wars in the south, and the Qing Dynasty was beaten to the ground by the British. If this is because of him and causing a war with the Russians, let alone him, even his brother Fengtian Gong's squire Lang Yuen can't afford it, and it will be a great crime to rob the family and exterminate the clan!

"Mr. Andre, don't worry, I will definitely finish this matter for you." Yu Cheng said with a smile on his face.

Andre snorted and flicked his sleeves away.

When the people left, Yu Cheng jumped to his feet and scolded a few words.

Wang Yi's specific results in handling the Russian business incident had already fallen into the hands of the top leaders of the big businessmen at this time. Zhang Baifa and related personnel were all dismissed, expelled from Dashang and never hired, and Schroeder Kohl took over his position. Guo Yuanwang was demoted to the deputy position in charge of production, and the position of general manager was held by Han Jinchun, a student of the literary class. As for Guo Yuanwang's brother-in-law Tong Boxin and related sales staff, they were all driven home and never hired. Including Zhang Baifa, all the violators of the Russian business incident, Dashang have made huge claims.

At the beginning of July 1877, Dashang received an official letter from Mukden, ordering him to complete the steel and cement transaction with the Russian businessman.

Wang Yi ignored it.

In mid-July 1877, Dashang again received an official letter from Fengtian.

Wang Yi ignored it again.

At the end of July 1877, when the sun was shining poisonously and the earth was cracked, a team of more than 100 people set out from Mukden and went to Anshan through Liaoyang, and Yucheng was among them. This time he also made up his mind, and Andre's repeated urgings, and even coercion and temptation, made him feel annoyed. But the other party was a foreigner and couldn't afford to offend himself, so he vented all his grievances on Dashang Iron and Steel Company. After a while, he found that the big merchants didn't eat this set at all. And on his brother's side, he didn't dare to say anything, he really shook it out, he was afraid that he wouldn't be good, so after thinking about it, he remembered his two friends.

Yucheng has two friends who are tax officials, one is called Cong Fu and the other is Yang Tieshan, both of whom are not really lacking, but they always lead people around to collect taxes, and the reason why they are so laissez-faire is because they have backers behind them. Ming'an, the squire of the Shengjing Criminal Department, is Cong Fu's uncle, and Yang Guinian, the military commissar of Fengtianfu, is Yang Tieshan's uncle.

Yu Cheng was also forced by Andre to be anxious, so he gave 20,000 taels of the 30,000 taels of silver benefits he had received and gave 10,000 taels to each of them. These two people are also interested, as the so-called thousands of miles of officials are only for money, and Yucheng is also their friend, so the three of them discussed and decided to go to Dashang Iron and Steel Plant in person.

On the way, Yucheng introduced the situation to the two: "It is said that since the Dashang Iron and Steel Plant has been producing steel, it has been making money every day, and the shareholders in it have all made a lot of money. ”

"Still like that?" Yang Tieshan said strangely.

"Grandma, I can't imagine that they are so rich? A bunch of dog minions are still shaking. "Cong Fu is not convinced." If they can't talk about it, if they know how to lift it, then it's easy to say. Otherwise, grandpa will make their steel mill unsuccessful! ”

Yang Tieshan, who was riding on a horse, wiped the sweat on his face, poured saliva with a water bladder, and looked at the two people beside him: "Let's run such a trip on a hot day, if it is just to fulfill the foreigner's business agreement, won't it become a foreigner's dog's leg?" ”

Yu Cheng and Cong Fu glanced at each other, puzzled, and said, "Lao Yang, do you have any good ideas?" ”

Yang Tieshan threw the water bladder to Yu Cheng, looked at them and scolded with a smile: "Look at your little interest, since what steel plant is so profitable, why let others run it?" Your brother is a squire of the Shengjing Ministry of Industry, your uncle is a squire of the Shengjing Criminal Department, and my uncle is a fellow of the Fengtianfu military rations. ”

Hearing Yang Tieshan say this, Yu Cheng and Cong Fu suddenly realized, and said in their hearts, they are still fucking ruthless!

"Lao Yang is right! We are tax collectors, and we look like the scenery is infinite, and we are shouting everywhere we go. But the people can't figure out how to poke our backbones behind our backs! Besides, this Fengtian and Earth are not very peaceful, and Feng Youyi, who was good to that old Yang before, was not disemboweled by the bandits! ”

"That's right! If we get this steel mill in our hands, you won't have to do this work of eating and sleeping in the open in the future. Yu Cheng encouraged.

"The two brothers are right, listen to my uncle, last year the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau built an iron ship called 'Jinou', which is different from the common iron-boned wooden veneer ships in Yingkou, it is really an all-iron ship."

"An all-iron ship can still float in the water?" Cong Fu also has no knowledge of physics.

"Who knows, since it is made, it can float! Don't always interject there, listen to Lao Yang be serious! Yu Cheng scolded with a smile.

Yang Tieshan also smiled and said: "This thing is really good, think about it, if the foreigners call again, our ship will let them use cannons there, and they won't be able to fight!" Our ships don't need to open fire, just by ramming, they can all be sunk! ”

"That's it! At that time, we will be able to raise our eyebrows and puff up, reproduce the majesty of the Holy Ancestor and Grandfather, and see how those foreign devils still bully us! Yucheng and Cong Fu jointly showed their patriotism and imagined infinitely.

Yang Tieshan sighed at this time, and said a little deflated: "But the capital is arguing about this matter. ”

Yu Cheng and Cong Fu were very curious, and said, "Why is this? ”

"Isn't it because of the cost of this ship? Although the ship was built by the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, the steel was all imported from foreigners, and the cost was so high that even the imperial court could not afford it. ”

Although Cong Fu and Yu Cheng's brains are not as good as Yang Tieshan's, they also heard a little taste at this time. "Lao Yang, if you have something to say, just say it!"

"I have also inquired before, what is the special technology in this Dashang Iron and Steel Factory, the steel produced is not only large, but also of good quality! Even foreigners often run here! Yang Tieshan lowered his voice at this time, and the three of them put their heads together, and said: "In this case, now the imperial court is worried about the matter of steel, if we take down the steel mill, and then send the news that it can produce good steel to the top!" Isn't this a good way to soar! ”

Yu Cheng and Cong Fu listened to it, aren't they! On the one hand, it can share the worries of the royal family and solve problems for the imperial court! On the one hand, you can still make money, how can you find such a good thing to go?

At this time, the three guys also became angry, and they even felt happy to be exposed to the hot sun.

The path of hope is ahead, and they seem to have incarnated as Tang monks and apprentices, bent on asking for real gold...... What do you say? It seems that it is not far from the western sky......